Quadlock is a company that specializes in building insulation systems. I’ve personally used one of their early generation ICF’s and found it to be a pretty good product with a few glitches that have since been corrected. I just read about a new product they’re offering, R-ETRO insulation system designed specifically to be used in retrofit / remodel applications.
The foam used is an inert Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). EPS is resistant to mold, and impervious to micro-organisms since it has no nutritional value to support plant life. It doesn’t decompose or decay and the R-Value (R-18) remains constant throughout it’s life. It doesn’t settle or sag like other insulation and EPS offers the lowest cost per unit of R-Value compared to any other insulation material. Quadlock claims there is no additional framing necessary so thermal bridging is minimal.
The R-Value is relatively substantial. In many older homes where the wall insulation is commonly R-13 or less due to compromised batt installation, this can potentially more than double the insulation levels with limited disruption especially on a project where the siding is scheduled for replacement any way.
This product can be applied on the exterior or interior of the building, which is partly it’s claim to fame. Applied to the exterior, just about any siding material can be affixed to it, it appears to be a great substrate for a stucco type finish. Applied to the interior, it can be used on the ceilings as well as the walls and floors. After reading through the material, I can’t quite determine how air sealing is addressed, so that’s a critical piece to be researched further.
Posted on January 18, 2010
